Muscarinic receptors in rat uterus.

The aim of this study was to characterise the muscarinic receptor present in the uterus of the virgin rat. Homogenate binding studies were undertaken using [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate as the radioligand and atropine (10 microM) to determine non-specific binding. [3H]Quinuclidinyl benzilate binding was saturable with a Kd of 63 pM and a Bmax of 3 fmol/mg protein. The pKi values obtained using antagonists with high affinity for differing muscarinic receptor subtypes were pirenzepine, 6.2; hexahydrosiladifenidol, 6.9; AF-DX 116 (11-[[2-[(diethylamino)methyl]-1-piperidinyl]acetyl]5,11-dihydro-6H - pyrido[2,3-b][1,4]benzodiazepine-6-one), 7.0; and himbacine, 7.8. These findings suggest that muscarinic M2 receptors are present in rat uterus.